NRL player Greg Bird has been granted bail, with strict conditions attached, after facing a Sydney court charged with assaulting his girlfriend.
The Cronulla Sharks five-eighth was charged with assaulting Katie Milligan, 24, who suffered a fractured eye socket when she was allegedly hit in the face with a glass at Bird's Cronulla apartment yesterday morning.
Bird today faced a charge of maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on Ms Milligan, who was due to undergo surgery today for glass wounds to her eye, police said.
Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital said Ms Milligan had sought absolute privacy and, as such, it was unable to update her condition.
Bird was granted bail by Sutherland Local Court magistrate Bev Schurr, who ordered he comply with the conditions of an interim apprehended violence order (AVO) issued against him yesterday.
He was also ordered not to make contact with any of his neighbours, who may have heard the alleged attack or witnessed Bird and Ms Milligan leaving the Boorima Place unit.
Bird spent the night in custody after being refused bail by police, and can be released after an "acceptable person" posts a $5000 surety.
The AVO requires that Bird not make contact with Ms Milligan, and not damage or destroy any of her personal property.
Prosecutor Matt Zalunardo told the court Bird had lied to police by alleging other people were in the apartment at the time of the incident about 7.30am (AEST) yesterday.
"The accused person ... is actively trying to deceive police by inferring other people were involved in the matter," Acting Sergeant Zalunardo said.
He said it appeared Bird was trying to "pin the offence" on someone else.
Sergeant Zalunardo said a neighbour who recognised Bird's voice noted no other male voice in the unit at the time.
He also said a neighbour looked in Bird's unit and saw that it was vacant after Bird and Ms Milligan left for the hospital.
Police allege that as the pair left the apartment block, Bird told Ms Milligan to "stop being a f...king idiot".
Ms Milligan allegedly responded: "Why did you do this to me?"
The court was told that when Bird replied "I didn't do it", she responded: "Yes, you did."
Bird's lawyer Les Nicholls challenged the police facts, saying their informant was not in court and the alleged victim had yet to give a statement.
"The facts that are before Your Honour are circumstantial," Mr Nicholls said.
He told the court he was twice refused access to the hand-written notes of police who attended the alleged incident, and added Bird was not a flight risk and had ties to the community.
"If there is any breach of bail, he could be spending a long time in custody," Ms Schurr said.
The matter was adjourned for mention in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on October 8.
please let me play?
